Folding universal table



A. W. LEE.

FOLDING UNIVERSAL TABLE. APPLICATION FILED MAY24, 1919,

' Patented May 11,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

- ,4 TTORNEYS A. W. LEE.

FOLDING UNIVERSAL TABLE. APPLICATION FILED MAY24, 1919.

Patented May 11, 192

2 SHEETSSHEEI 2'- lNl/ENTOR HZFMDIVLEE A ITO/ME Y8 WITNESSES ALFRED WHEATCROFT LEE, TARRYTOWN, NEW YORK.

FOLDING UNIVERSAL TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1920.

Application filed May 24, 1919. Serial No. 299,498.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED TV. LEE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tarrytown, in the county of VVestchester and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Folding Universal Table, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a new and improved table and more specifically to a folding table which is particularly adapted for use in an automobile or other vehicles and for campers.

Gne of the objects of this invention is to provide a folding table of light and simple construction and having its parts so positioned and arranged that the table, when not in use, may be folded to occupy but little space and will have its various parts carried therein.

A further object is to provide a table with its various parts so positioned and constructed that at all times when the table is either in use or in a folded position, its movable parts are held firmly in position, thus eliminating the possibility of such parts being misplaced or lost. Then the table is in a folded position, there is further provided suflicient space therein where foodstuffs and small articles may be carried.

Still a further object is to provide a table of the folding type having adjustable legs therefor and a means whereby, when used with an automobile, one end of the table may either be supported by the running board from below, or when used in the car, one end of said table may be conveniently supported from above on the robe rail.

Folding tables broadly are not new so no claim is broadly here made thereto, but structures heretofore provided have been large and cumbersome and inconveniently arranged. a

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings showing one of the preferred forms of the invention and in which similar characters of reference designate like parts in the several views.

Figure l is an elevational View, partly broken away, showing the table in anopen position with two of the legs in place.

Fig. 2 is a view showing a modified form of construction for the legs of the table.

Fig. El is a side elevation of Fig. 1, partly broken away and showing the table in an open position with one side thereof clamped tothe running board of an automobile.

Fig. 4 is a broken view looking in the direction of the arrows and taken on the line 4 l of Fig. 8, showing the method of support for the short legs and the manner in which said legs may be swung from beneath the table to a position above the same.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the bottom of the table with the parts thereof in an open position, showing one of the legs at one end of the table in a folded position within the box and the legs at the other end of the table in an open or extended position.

Fig. 6 is a brokenperspective View of one end of the box in a foldedposition showing the method of locking the parts together.

Fig. 7 is showing the manner in which said short leg is connected to the table to permit the free swinging movement so that said leg may be moved either from a position within or below the table to a position thereabove.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view,

broken, showing the table in an tion and with the short leg positioned above the table indicating the manner in which one end thereof may be supported within an automobile upon the robe rail. Fig. 9 is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows and taken on the line 99 of Fig. 1, showing the construction of the log and the means for obtaining adjustment of the length thereof.

Fig. 10 is a View taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 8, showing the detailed construction of one of the shorter legs.

In the drawings showin one of the preferred forms of the construction, the table comprises a top 1 having two parts 2, 3, having a suitable hinge connection 4 there between, each part of the top comprising frame members 5 and cover 5, which members are preferably made of wood, but it is understood any, suitable material may be used therefor. The frame members are of suiiicient thickness so as to carry the cover 5' in spaced relation when folded on the hinge connection, thereby affording considerable space in which the various parts, foodstuffs and other articles may be carried.

As a means of holding the hinged portions 2, 3 in an open position to form a table partly open posia detailed, broken sectional View top, there are flat bracing members 6, 7, which are carried at one side of the hinged top members, the said members being preferably formed of a light stripof metal. One end of the bracing members is secured to the top 2 preferably by any suitable connec-' tion, such as a bolt and nut connection 8, so that when the hinged portions are open fiat, the bracing member may be swung about the point of connection, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5, so that the end thereof will engage a spring or other suitable clamp 9 positioned on the bottom of the other hinged top portion.

A slot 10 (see Fig. 1) is provided between the hinged frame members 11 and12 and the top 2 and 3 respectively so as to permlt the fiat bracing members 6, 7 to pass therebetween when they are moved to and from the bracing position.

Particular note is to be made of the man ner in which the ends of the bracing members 6, 7 are attached to the top by the bolt and nut connection 8. The connection is so placed that when the table is to be folded and the bracing members to be swung within one-half of the top 2, said braces will not interfere with each other when so folded, but will lie parallel to each other. This is accomplished by placing the bolt and nut connection 8 at different distances from the frame member 5 at one side of the table.

Legs 13, 14 are carried on the bracing members 6, 7 by a hinge connection 15, 16 respectively, said hinge connection comprising,in the preferred form, a U-shaped strap 17 fixed by any suitable means to the bracing.

member so as to move therewith and having a pin 18 connecting one end of the leg with the U-shaped strip. The legs 13, 1 1 are adjustable in length, they being made preferably of sheet aluminum 19 or other suitable material, which is formed about a wooden core 20, which is shdable therein, thus permittin an adjustment of the length of the legs. s a means of permitting such adjustment, a slot 21 is provided in one side of the leg throughwhich the threaded end of a bolt passing through the wood core may pass, there being provided a thumb nut 23 for the threaded end of said bolt so that the slidabl'e wood core may be frictionally held in adjusted position with respect to the metal covering. therefor. j

In the preferred form the metal cover is extended above the core a suflicient distance only to form guiding grooves therefor, thus leaving one side open so that the head of the bolt may freely move, it being understood, however, that any suitable construction maybe utilized for obtaining a hinge connection for one end of the leg and the adjustment of the length thereof. After the legs have been swung to their functioning position, any suitable bracing means may be' provided for holding them in the extended position, the preferred form shown herein comprising a rod 2% having bent ends, one end of which is pivotally carried in a bracket 25 secured to the leg and the other end being adapted to be inserted within an opening 26 in a bracket 27 fixed to the bracing members. lVhen the legs are to be moved within the table, it is to be seen that it is only necessary to disengage the bent ends from the bracket 27 when the bracing rod 24 and the leg may be moved to a position substantially parallel with the bracing member so that but little space is occupied thereby.

Particular note is here to be made of the position where the legs 13-,- 14: are hinged to the respective bracing members 6, 7. The hinge connections for the legs are made at different points of the respective bracing.

members so that whenthe table is open, the braces are swung to their functioning position and the legs are swung outward of the table and braced beneath the table, the legs 13, 14 will be in alinement or, in other words, they will be spaced an equal distance from the adjacent side frame member. If the unequal positioning of the legs from the ends of the bracing members was not done, the legs would be thrown out of alinement when moved to a functioningposition by reason of the fact that the bolts 8 are placed out of alinement in positioning the bracing members.

The adustable hingedly carried on the bracing member in one part of the hinged top. At the other side of the table there is provided a means whereby such side may be supported" from above by other legs 28, 29 having a slot connection 30, which may engage a robe rail 31 if the table is to be used within an automobile, in which case the leg 28 will extend above the table. The table may be positioned alongside the automobile by providing a means at the end of the shorter leg whereby a clamping connection may be made with a running board 82 of an automobile.

In the preferred construction shown, the short leg comprises a length of angle iron having a wood core' 34 extending throughout part of its length, one side of the angle iron being brokenaway at the end thereof, the other side 35 being bent and having a thumb screw 36 threaded therein, thus formingv a clamping; connection by which the bottom of the leg may be secured to a running board or any other suitable support. In order that the short legs may be swung to a position either above or below the table and within the top of the table when in a folded position, a portion of the frame member is cutaway, preferably at the corner, and a suitable connection there made with the legs, above described, are

tion of the frame member and a pivot connection made between the one end of the short leg and the reinforced frame member, a rivet 38 and spring washer 38 being shown for this purpose. Such a construction will readily permit the short leg to be moved from the folded position within the table to a position extending downwardly from the bottom of the table, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4:, or it may be swung to a position wherein it projects above the table, as indicated by the dotted line position in Fig. 4.

In providing the open or cut away slotted portion 30, which is adapted to rest upon a robe rail orother support, it is understood that in the construction as shown, the metal portion of the rail will have to be shaped accordingly.

As a means of furnishing an additional strength and bracing effect between the top and hinged portions when the table is folded in a closed position, there is provided a supporting member 39, which is carried on the bottom of one of the hinged members, the said member having an upwardly extending lug of such a length that it will act as a spacing member between the two parts of the folded top, when in closed position, so that if a heavy weight is placed thereon, said top will not be split or broken. This member 39 also positions the legs when the table is folded.

The modified form of brace and leg cor.- struction is shown in Fig. 2, wherein there is provided on the bracing member a bent spring member 40 having each end secured to the bracing member and having a portion thereof spaced therefrom and 'another part bent to form a yielding stop, one end of the bracing rod being bent and adapted to slide between said spring and bracing member, the leg 14 being pivotally supported on the bracing member by the usual connection.

As a means of holding the hinged portions of the box in a folded closed position, any suitable catch or locking means may be employed, the preferred form herein shown comprising two brackets 41, 42, carried by the hinged parts 2, 3 respectively of the table top, one of said brackets 41 having a hinged hook 13 which engages the other bracket 42.

If the table is in a folded position, in order to set the table up in position, the locking means are first released, after which the upper hinged portion of the top may be swung about the hinge connection so that access may be had to the legs. It will next be necessary to raise the legs to permit the bracing members to be swung about the bolt connection so as to pass through the slot 10, disposed between the centrally disposed frame members, and the top to engage the positioning clamp 9. The long legs may then be positioned by bringing the free end of the rod 24' into engagement with the opening in the bracket carried by the bracing member, as shown in the full line position of Fig. 5.

To facilitate handling the table when in a folded position, any suitable handles well known in the art may be applied thereto.

It is thus seen that by the above construction there is provided a table, which is light and simple in construction, economical to' manufacture and having its parts conveniently and compactly arranged, thus providing a table occupying but little space, which may conveniently be used by automobilists, campers and the like.

While there has herein been shown but one preferred form, changes and modifications-may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A folding table comprising a plurality of hinged parts, bracing members pivotally carried by one of saidparts and adapted to be swung parallel with the top thereof to hold the parts in an open position, adjustable legs pivotally carried by said bracing members and bracing rods for said legs and shorter legs carried by the other part of said hinged top and adapted to be swung to a position either above or below the table.

2. In a folding table comprising a top having a plurality of hinged parts, bracing members carried by one of said parts and adapted to be swung substantially parallel with the top thereof to hold the parts in an open position and legs pivotally carried by said bracing members, a means carried by the other part to permit said part to be supported either from a point above or below the table.

3. A folding table comprising a top having a plurality of hinged frames and a cover for each of said frames,.bracing members pivoted to one of said frames to permit said bracing members to lie adjacent each other in a substantially parallel position when the table is folded and to be moved in a plane substantially parallel with the top of the table when in an open position, said bracing members functioning to hold the top in an open position, legs pivotally carried by said bracing members and bracing rods therefor and other shorter legs pivotally carried by the other frame members, the said bracing members and legs being adapted to be folded within the frame members when the top of the table is folded in a closed position.

4:. In a folding table comprising a top having a plurality of hinged portions and hinged legs adapted to be folded within the table when in a closed position, shorter legs pivot-ally carried by another hinged portion of the table so that said legs may be swung either above or below the table.

5. An automobile folding table comprising a plurality of hinged portions, a bracing member hinged to the lower side of one of said portions to move parallel with the top thereof, a leg pivotally carried by said bracing member, other shorter legs pivotally carried by another part of the folding top so that said leg may be swung from a position within the folding top to a position either above or below the same, said leg having a means thereon to conveniently be supported upon the robe rail of an automobile if positioned above the table and a means to conveniently be positioned upon the running board of an automobile-if posi- K tioned below the table.

6. An automobile folding table comprising a hinged top, bracing members hinged to the bottom part thereof and adapted to swing parallel therewith and hold the parts in an open position, adjustable legs pivotally carried on said bracing members and a bracing rod for said legs and other smaller legs pivotally carried by another part of the folding top and adapted to be swung about the table so that it may beconveniently supported by a robe rail of an automobile from above or on the running board of an automobile from below.-

ALFRED WHEATCROFT LEE. 

